Taking Care of Business

By Jeremy McNeill
TE, Presbytery of the West

In the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (EPC), the General Assembly serves as a pivotal gathering for worship, fellowship, and governance. However, as keynote speakers and worship segments have expanded, less time has been available for important church business. Too often, the time allowed for debate and discussion seems rushed and inadequate. Many commissioners, who attend General Assembly primarily to address the business of the church, have expressed concern about this current structure.

This article proposes dividing the General Assembly into separate speaker and business days, alongside a system for prioritizing agenda items based on commissioner feedback. These changes aim to restore balance, enhance efficiency, and honor the EPC’s commitment to representative governance.

The Purposes and Duties of the General Assembly                                                           

Before my proposal is stated explicitly, it is important to note the purposes and duties of the General Assembly. The reason these need to be noted is to have in mind the weight of responsibility for Assembly business sessions, and the importance of not having a time deficit in light with what our constitutional documents dictate to be our primary purposes as a General Assembly. The Book of Government (BOG) enumerates our responsibilities as follows:

1. Legislative Authority:  To make, amend, or repeal the Constitution of the EPC, subject to ratification by the Presbyteries (BOG 16-1).
2. Review and Control: To exercise review and control over the Presbyteries, ensuring that they comply with the Constitution and the actions of the General Assembly (BOG 16-3).
3. Judicial Oversight: To serve as the final court of appeal in judicial matters, with the Permanent Judicial Commission acting on its behalf when the Assembly is not in session (BOG 17-1).
4. Doctrine and Worship: Defining, preserving, and promoting the doctrinal standards of the church and ensuring that worship practices align with these standards (implied throughout the Book of Order, particularly in how it deals with ordinations and matters of faith).
5. Mission and Ministry: Overseeing the mission and ministry of the church, including the establishment of denominational programs, setting priorities for mission work, and approving the budget for such activities (BOG 16-1 and various Acts of Assembly). 
6. Election of Officers: Electing a Moderator, members of the Standing Committees, and other officers or members of permanent committees and commissions (BOG 16-11).
7. Ecumenical Relations: To establish or modify relationships with other ecclesiastical bodies, which involves both denominational and interdenominational cooperation (BOG 16-1).
8. Addresses and Statements: Issue statements or addresses on matters of faith, doctrine, or church policy that it deems important for the guidance of the church.

Division of Business and Speakers

The General Assembly serves as the highest court of the EPC, focusing on “the mission and governance of the denomination” in alignment with Scripture, the Westminster Confession, and other constitutional documents. Its tasks include:

• Promoting the unity, purity, and peace of the church.
• Overseeing the church’s mission, worship, and doctrine.
• Providing a forum for shared ministry and fellowship among presbyteries and churches.

The current structure combines worship, keynote sessions, and business meetings into a single schedule, often creating tension between priorities. To better serve all attendees, the EPC General Assembly could adopt the following format:

Dedicated Business Days

• Reserved exclusively for addressing reports, motions, and discussions.
• Includes extended time for significant topics requiring thorough debate.
• Allows ruling and teaching elders to engage in governance without conflicting programming.

Speaker and Worship Days

• Keynote addresses, workshops, and extended worship sessions are concentrated here.
• Provides spiritual enrichment and educational opportunities without impeding business deliberations.

This clear division ensures both aspects receive full attention without competition for time. As BOG 20-1 states, “The General Assembly, composed of all the courts and local churches of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, expresses the unity and relatedness of all the parts. It has the responsibility of overseeing the total work of the Church” (emphasis mine). Since our Book of Government expressly states that the purpose of the General Assembly is to do the total work of the Church, business days honor the responsibilities of commissioners, particularly ruling elders, to fulfill those duties. Separate speaker and worship days enrich and inspire the broader Church community but allow a more full and robust participation in the work of the church without unnecessary limitations of time.

Implementing a Business Agenda Prioritization System                                                 

A recurring challenge in General Assembly meetings is the lack of time to address all items on the agenda comprehensively. To enhance efficiency, one option is to allow commissioners to have a voice in shaping the agenda through a pre-Assembly ranking system. This system would align with the Assembly’s focus on shared governance and mission, as outlined in the Acts of Assembly and the Rules for Assembly (e.g., Section 9-8). The proposed ranking process would include:

1. Pre-Assembly Survey: A survey distributed to commissioners ahead of time, enabling them to rank agenda items by importance or urgency. Specifically, this would allow for important overtures to be moved to the beginning of the agenda and be given an appropriate allotment of time for debate.
2. Weighted Prioritization: The docket would be set based on the weight of response to items based on survey feedback, ensuring that high-priority items are given sufficient time.
3. Structure of Debates: As pressing issues are identified, agenda blocks would be adjusted to allow for meaningful deliberation. For the sake of a more cohesive, unified, and well-informed debate, those in favor and those opposed to a particular business item would be able to convene before the General Assembly to set forth a clear and biblical presentation for their stance for or against. Perhaps, before any debate, a spokesperson could be chosen from each perspective, and they would be given an extended period of time to speak on behalf of that position. Afterward, normal rules of debate as set forth in the Rules of Assembly would commence.

This proposal respects the constitutional emphasis on order, representation, and the connectional nature of the church (BOG-3.2), aligning with the broader vision outlined in the Book of Order. It also affirms the responsibility of commissioners to participate fully in the work of the Assembly, which is to govern the church in accordance with its Constitution, ensuring unity, purity of doctrine, proper church order, and the welfare of the denomination. This involves legislative, judicial, and administrative functions that maintain the EPC’s integrity and mission.

Benefits of Prioritization                                                                                    

• Commissioner Engagement: Ensures that all voices — especially Ruling Elders — shape the agenda.
• Efficient Governance: Focuses time and resources on the most critical issues.          
• Flexibility: Allows for real-time decision-making and adaptability. 

Rationale for Change                                                      

• Biblical and Theological Foundations                                                          
  The EPC’s commitment to shared governance reflects the biblical principle of mutual submission within the body of Christ (Ephesians 5:21). By creating space for both business and spiritual enrichment, the Church demonstrates its dual commitment to practical stewardship and spiritual growth.
• Stewardship of Time and Resources                                                                            
  Many Ruling Elders sacrifice time, income, and personal resources to attend the General Assembly. A focused schedule acknowledges these sacrifices and ensures their efforts are utilized efficiently.
• Precedents from Other Denominations                                                             
  Other Reformed denominations, such as the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC), prioritize business during their assemblies, reserving worship and keynote sessions for separate or regional gatherings. These models highlight the feasibility of such a division.

Conclusion                                                                           

By dividing the General Assembly into distinct business and speaker days and adopting a prioritization system for agenda items, the EPC can enhance its governance, honor the commitments of its commissioners, and remain faithful to its calling. These changes would reflect a commitment to both practical stewardship and the spiritual mission of the Church, ensuring that the Assembly continues to serve as a vital expression of the Church’s unity and purpose.

The purpose of our General Assembly is not equipping, but the total work of the Church. There is no need to create a conference atmosphere for us to engage in the work that we made vows before the Lord to fulfill. We don’t need to be afraid of firm, full, and passionate debate. Just because something may be non-essential doesn’t mean it is unimportant. Above all, we should be a people desirous to discern the mind of Christ so that we might be conformed more and more to his image. Engaging in the hard work of debate and deliberation does not detract from an ethos of unity, but rather enforces it.